2017

By: Holly Ford— Muncie, IN—Members of the Southside Middle School student council are learning firsthand what it means to be philanthropists and leaders in the community. So far this school year, they have donated just over $600 to local organizations. The students raised these funds themselves, and voted on which organizations to support. Most recently, they donated $375 to Muncie’s Animal Rescue Fund (ARF) after holding their most successful fundraiser yet—a dance where they sold concessions. ARF’s executive director Jody Leddy visited Southside on Monday, March 13, to accept the check from the student council. “I was so pleasantly surprised…

By: Ashlee Bane—  Altrusa International of Muncie, Indiana, Inc. recently celebrated 30 years of their annual 4th Grade Essay Contest. Each year, 4th grade classes throughout Delaware County are invited to participate in the contest by having students answer the question ”What would my world be like without books?” The six finalists of the 30th anniversary contest include Charles Isaacs, Burris Laboratory; Gavin Case, East Washington Academy; Lenox York, Grissom Elementary; Quentin McNeill, Mitchell Elementary; Gaia Townsend, West View Elementary; and Jakob Bowden, Yorktown Elementary. Each finalist, accompanied by their family, teacher, and principal, read their essay aloud at the…

By: Stacy Wheeler— Muncie, IN— The Kids In Need Foundation, a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing free school supplies to economically disadvantaged school children and under-funded teachers, announced it has added the local Muncie non-profit, the Back To School Teachers Store, to its national network of free teacher stores. Now networked with 40 independently operated free teacher stores in the U.S.A., The Back To School Teachers Store will be able to provide greater resources to Muncie and East Central Indiana. Inclusion in the national network is by application evaluation only and is based on sustainability, capacity, and overall economic need. “We are very grateful to have local…